Online Casinos in Switzerland

Gambling was strictly illegal in Switzerland until 1993, at which point the government legalized limited stakes casinos for the first time. In the year 2000 this was extended to unlimited-stakes casino games. Since then, participation in all types of gambling including sports betting, lotteries, and poker has steadily grown in the country.

Despite being relatively new here, a recent survey showed that up to 60% of our adult population play the lottery on a regular basis, 40% have played at a bricks-and-mortar casino, and 20% are considered frequent gamblers.

Our Choice of the Top Swiss Casinos 2017

Regulation may be on the horizon

Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world and as a result we are home to one of the world's most lucrative igaming industries. In 2013 the Swiss Casino Federation issued a warning that internet gambling was the primary cause of the decline of the country’s casino industry. Just a few days later the Swiss Federal Government published a draft of a new gaming bill which will legalize online gambling – but only at those sites provided by state licensed operators.

Our domestic casino industry has been in steady decline since 2007, and in 2013 it suffered a 1.5% drop in revenue. At the same time, it is estimated that Swiss players gamble approximately $113 million every year at offshore betting sites.

Switzerland is not part of the EU. As such we are not pressured by the EU to comply with European directives on how to run our igaming industry. This is in stark contrast to several EU states such as France, Italy and Sweden, all of whom have been strong-armed into regulating their industry in line with wider European standards.

The proposed bill will only enable licensed casinos to operate here; foreign casinos will be unable to apply for licenses. The justification behind this is that foreign operators have had more years of experience setting up in the online space and this would give them an unfair advantage over Swiss operators, who are yet to develop any web presence.

Added security

While many are sceptical on the benefits of regulation, the one major plus is the level of protection it will add for players. With unregulated sites and those licensed in overseas jurisdictions, our local authorities have no control over disputes. By ensuring all legal casinos in Switzerland are state-licensed, it means that players will have legal recourse available should there be any disputes over wagers or withdrawals.

At present, the Swiss authorities do not attempt to block overseas operators nor do Swiss banks have any restrictions on handling transactions for online gambling. As such, it is relatively easy for Swiss players to play online.

Registering is a simple process that requires a few personal details, along with proof that you are over 18 and legally entitled to gamble. Most casinos accept Swiss players, with platforms available in French, Italian and German languages, and transactions accepted in Swiss Francs. The majority of sites even offer bonuses and promotions, and accept wagers in CHF.

Easy banking options

The easiest and most popular way of funding an account is by using credit cards. Visa is top of the pile, but Mastercard users can also deposit hassle free. For those who prefer to use ewallets, Skrill, Neteller, Paypal, Paysafecard, Ukash and several other options are all readily available.

While deposits are pretty much instant, online casinos can vary hugely in the amount of time they take to process withdrawals. If that is an important factor to you, it is another thing to look out for. As so many sites are vying for your business, there are tons of welcome bonuses to customers who open a new account. These can take the form of free spins, matched deposit bonuses and free bets. Heck, you can even play for real money without depositing. It’s worth shopping around for the best deals before you take the plunge and register your details.

Stay safe

Choosing an above board site is of utmost important. Unfortunately, there are plenty of rogue operators and even more rogue casino review sites who promote these scam jobs. Here at VegasSlotsOnline we pride ourselves on our reputation and we only promote the best options for players.

Thankfully there are many large operators out there, who offer genuine services and have a proven track record over a number of years. We’ve reviewed some of the best online casinos for Swiss players on this site, and you can rest assured that every spot we recommend is reliable and trustworthy.